Almanac

Viewpoint - February 2, 2011

Letter: City needs to fix dangerous intersection

While the Menlo Park Transportation Commission wrings its hands about so-called cut-through traffic in the Willows, an actual dangerous situation at the intersection of Durham and Willow continues to worsen.

Traffic exiting the VA Medical Center does not have a protected left turn on green, but acts as if it does. Lately, I have noticed a drastic increase in the number of cars that race out of the VA to make that left turn, to block right-turn traffic exiting the Willows on Durham, while pedestrians are in the crosswalk.

Twice in the last month I've seen left-turn vehicles almost hit pedestrians. Left-turn traffic also cuts off, and sometimes almost hits, cars going straight into the VA from Durham. The left-turners are getting angrier as well, evidenced by an increase in middle fingers from them of late.

Apparently a few of the workers at the VA are eager enough to get home that they don't particularly care if they run into the patients they're trying to serve. I hope that someone in authority at the VA takes some control of the situation before someone gets run over crossing Willow.